dirty risotto...comfort food oolala

I have a great, fool-proof recipe that I use for risotto from a Todd English book, The Figs Table. This is a perfect comfort food and this week's weather begged for a pot! My version is fudged from the original. My aunt-in-law went to Myrtle Beach for the month of February and dropped off some things that she could not pack and did not want to spoil...okay guys, down there in MB your loss!

I was gifted garlic, red onion, fresh herbs for soup, a sweet potato, and a butternut squash. I already used the herbs and garlic for a simple tomato garlic soup with chick peas and orzo. The red onion was next to be used. Typically a basic risotto is creamy white and to use the red onion would alter that color, I further fudged it up by using dried mushrooms and the broth they were reconstituted in. Instead of the traditional white wine, I used red to further dirty my rice and lastly I found whole grain risotto!!! No photo for this post, it was dirty rice.

If you like Italian sausage (not passing judgment...being as some people keep pigs as pets is all) it might be nice in this mix, maybe with a bit of sage and thyme.

Four-Onion Risotto
this is Todd's recipe ** my alternations are in blue

serves 6-8

2 T butter **extra virgin olive oil
2 c leeks, thinly sliced **red onion
1 spanish onion, diced
5-6 shallots, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (or pressed)
1 cup dried mushrooms, reconstituted
2 cups arborio rice **brown arborio
1/2 c white wine **red wine
6 cups chicken broth **organic beef broth
2 T thyme, fresh or 1 T dry
1/2 goat cheese **grated parm

Place a large stainless steel/non-reactive pot over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onions, shallots and cook until tender and translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the wine and cook until it is absorbed.

Add the broth, one cup at a time, stirring with each addition, until it is absorbed, about 20 minutes. DON'T leave unattended! Add the herbs and cheese and serve while still creamy.

lentil soup is for champions!

Here is a recipe that is a favorite of mine. My father use to make this when I was younger (I am so young now so it was not that far off). This soup freezes well and there are so many variations; you can please a meat eater or vegetarians and still keep it healthy. Between Dan, myself and some family friends we cleaned up a double recipe in 3 days and Dan actually enjoyed it (without pig parts…again, no meat in this version).

Did you know?
. . . that if you love beans they will love your heart and bowels back? They are packed with soluble and insoluble fiber that sucks up gunk as it moves though your body and keeps all of your pipes clean. Lentils also help stabilize blood sugar levels and gives a slow burn while keeping you feeling full. Lastly, lentils are high in iron, incidentally so is red meat, which is also high in cholesterol (the same gunk you are trying to remove by eating more fiber rich foods).

So folks, pair this soup with the antioxidant rich tomatoes (processed tomatoes are more concentrated in antioxidants than fresh) and you have a crowd pleasing, super food cocktail!

This recipe will make 4 lbs of soup and is just the basic mix

• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup lentils, dry (I love to use French lentils as they stay firm but green lentils work well)
• 1 quart broth
• 1 T Olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf (dad’s secret ingredient..maybe)

If you are feelin' funky add:

• 1 small can of tomato sauce & 1 14 oz can of diced tomato (my favorite addition, just like dad’s recipe)
• sun dried tomatoes
• rice / quinoa / kamut / spelt berries
• fennel
• spinach / kale / swiss chard
• sliced kielbasa or sausage (try to be aware of the sodium content)
• ham (did you know that pigs are as smart as dogs? www.rps.psu.edu/probing/pigs.html )
• red pepper flakes
• dash of cayenne
• tofu sausage

Saute the veggies over medium heat with olive oil for about 8 minutes adding the garlic for the last minute. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

one ugly pepper but mighty tasty

on a recent trip to the big city store (wegman's in exton) this small town girl dilly dallied in the world market section. I picked up a bag of dried ancho peppers. Based on my recent sun dried tomato recipe I thought I would reconstitute the peppers. btw.. the roasted turkey with sun dried tomato rub fantastic... saved the juices and just made turkey surprise casserole of frozen garden veggies from last summer... it is baking now and smells fab.

back to the bad boy peppers. Ancho peppers are sweet and sort of raisin like. The seeds add heat so make sure to remove them if you want to control the intensity. I went with a southwestern theme... Dan loved it, not the smell of the peppers cooking. The big idea is to make the ancho pepper sauce and use it in a creative way. I had the fixin's for a layered dish. Use the sauce as a base for a meat or chicken bake/slow cook/barbecue, to flavor soup, dips, chili, enchiladas... whatever. I'm freezing my leftovers in small portions to use later.

sauce

1 bag of dried ancho peppers - there were 5 in my bag

splash of agave, to taste

1/2 c tomato sauce

4 cloves of fresh garlic, coarsely chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

layered dish

ezekiel sprouted grain wraps OR use polenta
2 cups brown basmati rice, cooked in 2 cups of broth or water
2 cups corn kernels
2 cups of meat or meat alternative (I used my roasted turkey breast)
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup colby
OR
queso cheese


Bring the water to a boil and add the peppers. Let them simmer until they are very tender (at least 20 minutes). Let them cool, reserve the water. Take the seeds and stems out of the peppers and place them in a food processor with the garlic, tomato sauce and some of the reserved water. Process the peppers until they turn into sauce adding the remaining water until it is the texture you prefer.

Prepare a baking pan with olive oil spray and a thin layer of sauce. Layer the wrap, 1/2 of the rice, corn, cheese and sauce. The next layer of wrap, rice, meat, cheese and sauce. Last layer of wrap and whatever leftovers finishing with the cheese!

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes covered and the last 15 minutes uncovered.